Door construction



Aprii 1 1924.

1,489,176 J. c. STUTZ DOOR CONSTRUCTION I Filed y 1923 17 Jikn 6? 52 x72.

Patented Apr. 1, 1924. I

untrue STATES JOHN C. S'TU'IZ, 0F ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO.

DOOR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed July 9,

To all whom 2'25 may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. STUTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo, State of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door Constructions; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in'the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in door constructions.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby a door can be built of any number or sizes of panels, of either wood or glass.

Another object is to provide a construction of this character wherein the side stiles, top and bottom rails are identical in construction, whereby the parts which go to make up a door, with the exception of the wood or glass panels, and the muntin and mullion strips, can be fitted into the positions desired by the builder or the user of the device.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein glass panels may be readily inserted without alteration of the tongue and groove joints, and wherein the glass panels will be properly supported.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a door constructed in accordance with the invention and showing an upper. glass-paneled section, and a lower wooden-paneled section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, through the top rail of the door, and a portion of the glass panel, showing the manner in which the glass is held within the frame.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Figure 1, through one of the side stiles, and a portion of the glass panel.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the lock rail and the bottom rail, as well as the wood panel, on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse seetional view on the line 55 of Figure 1, through one of the side stiles, the wood 1923. Serial No. 650,370.

panel, the muntin strip, and a portion of the other panel.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 1 I Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view on the line '77 of Figure 1, a section on the line a200 of Figure 1 being identical therewith, and thereby omitted to obviate duplication of figures.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents the side stiles of a door embodying the present invention, 11 and 12 the top and bottom rails, respectively, and 13 and 14 the lock rail and muntin strip, respectively.

Thevertical longitudinal inner edge of each of the stiles 10 is longitudinally grooved and the bottom wall of the groove formed with the parallel grooves 15 and 16, between which is thereby formed the tongue or rib 17, said tongue or rib having its outer longitudinal face in the plane of the shoulder 18 of the molding edge of the stile. The lower longitudinal edge of the top rail is formed with a longitudinal groove 19, the

bottom wall of which is in the plane of the shoulders 21 of the molding edges 22. The

upper edge of the bottom rail is similarly formed to that of the rail 11, with the single angular groove 23. Each of the ends of the said bottom rail 12 is formed with a tenon 25 which extends into the side stile 10, and the outer end of this rib or tenon is formed with a kerf or groove 26 which receivesthe central tongue 17, while the side walls of the kerf enter the grooves 15 and 16.

The lower edge of the lock-rail 13 has the groove 27, while the vertical edges of the muntin strip 14 have the grooves 29;

The ends of the top and bottom rails, and the ends of the lock rail 13, where they join the stiles 10, are out out to match the molding edges of the stiles, as shown at 31, in Figure 6. The lower end of the muntin 14 is formed similarly to the portion 31, to match the molding edge 32, of the bottom rail 12, as shown at 33, in Fig. 7. This lower end of the muntin 14 is formed with a central tenon 34 which is received in the groove 23 in the upper edge of the lower rail 12, while its upper end is cut out at 35, to match the lower molding edge 36 of the lock-rail 13, and is formed with a tenon received in the groove 27, in the lower edge of the lock rail.

Disposed within the openings bounded by the stiles 10, the lower rail 12, and the lock rail and muntin strip, are the wood panels 38, said panels being placed in the grooves of the door frame, when the door is framed, or assembled, the marginal edges of the panels resting within the grooves, and the outer vertical edges of the panels resting against the outer longer edge faces of the ribs of the stiles.

The molding edge, at one side of each of the stiles 10, for the distance between the top rail 11 and the lock rail 13, is cut off in a plane slightly outward of the outer longitudinal edge face of the tongue or rib of the stile, as shown at 39, in Figure 3, said plane being the same as the shoulder 18, at the other side of the stile. The upper edge of the lock rail, and the lower edge of the top rail 11, are formed in the same manner as the stiles, that is, they have their molding edges removed. Disposed within the opening bounded by the stiles 10 and the top rail 11, and the lock rail 13, is a glass panel or sheet 40, the same resting within the groove of the upper edge of the lock raiL'and against the inner faces of the molding edges at the other sides of the stiles and strips. A glass stop strip ll is secured to each of the stiles, the top rail, and the lock rail, to lie against the glass, and hold the same within the door.

It will, of course, be understood that any number or arrangement of lock rail and muntin strips may be used within the door frame, so that panels of wood and glass, or either, may be disposed therein, in vertical or transverse relation to the door frame.

By reason of the fact that the ends of the rails 11 and 12, and the ends of the lock rail are indentically formed, the position of these members where desired, may be arranged so that the design of the door may be varied according to the desires of the manufacturer or customer.

It will also be understood that the construction described is equally applicable to windows.

What is claimed is:

1. A door construction including stiles,

rails, a lock rail and a inuntin strip each having a longitudinal edge face longitudinally grooved, the bottom wall of the groove of each of the stiles having longitudinal parallel grooves resulting in a central longitudinal rib, said rib having its longitudinal edge terminating short of the edge face of the stile, the ends of the rails and lock rail being formed with terminally kerfed tenons interlocking with the grooves and ribs of the stiles.

2.'A door construction including stiles, rails, and a muntinstrip, one of the longitudinal edges of each of the stiles being formed with a longitudinal groove the bottom wall of which is formed with parallel grooves resulting in an intermediate longitudinal rib which has its longitudinal edge face disposed inwardly of the edge face of the stile, the ends of the rails being formed with tenons which are terminally kerfed for engagement in the parallel grooves and for the reception of the said ribs.

3. A door construction including stiles, rails, and a muntin strip, each of the first of said elements having a longitudinal edge formed with a longitudinal groove in the bottom wall of which are formed parallel grooves, the outer walls of the parallel. grooves being coincident with the walls of the longitudinal groove, resulting in an intermediate longitudinal rib, said rib having an outer flat face within the edge of the element, the edges of the elements being formed with molding portions, certain of the elements having a side of the molding portion removed, glass panels disposed in the door inwardly of the removed molding portions and engaging on portions of said rib faces, and panels within certain others of the elements between the molding portions and eng zivging completely on the said faces of the r1 s.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. STUTZ.

Vvitnesses G. T. Boone. C. S.v WHITE. 

